blood stained grass: sequel
by myuntoldstories
Summary: okaii so this is the sequel to blood stained grass! this story is adopted from MissEsme. Edward goes serching for Bella, what lengts will he go to? and who's Tess?
1. Chapter 1

Tess frowned. She'd never thought this would be easy but she didn't think it would be this hard. They were camping for the night as she still needed to sleep, even if the pretty and pink 'vampire', who sparkles by the way, didn't need to. They had just completed their first day on the road. Edward had wanted to move as fast as possible, even offering to carry her on his back. She declined before he'd even finished the sentence.

They would do this the way she wanted to.

She smirked when she remembered Edward's reaction to her request. 'Esme? What do you want with Esme?' Oh, how ignorant he was. She had arched an eyebrow and simply turned away and started to leave. She knew he would call her back - of course he would. Why wouldn't he? She had offered him everything he had wanted since he left Bella all those years ago: Bella herself. She'd been right of course. Only seconds later, Edward had called her back, begging for her to help him.

It was lucky he had at the time. She'd reached the spot where she'd kept her weapons. Slowly she bent and retrieved them, holding them lightly in her hands as she walked back towards the stricken vampire. She'd told him that these weren't ordinary, these were tools crafted from her homeland. Made to withstand anything. He had scoffed at her comment that they could cut him, if she wanted to. Which of course she did, but she didn't say that.

That wasn't her mission.

Moving too fast for him to see, she had a firm grip on his wrist and a dagger poised dangerously above his exposed skin. Edward didn't flinch.

Softly, she drew the dagger across his skin. Edward hissed and pulled his arm back as the dagger cut into his skin. Blood from his last hunt and venom seeped out slowly. It wouldn't kill him, she knew, but it was enough for him to remember that she wasn't one to toy with.

After all, looks are deceiving.

She wasn't twelve. Her name wasn't Tess. She wasn't brunette and she certainly didn't have hazel eyes. She hated her new appearance but she was loyal to her country and she understood that right now, she was needed to do this. And do this she would.

She could not allow herself to become emotionally attached. Her last mission had been three years previously. Now, shuddered to think of it. It had been a total mess - she had allowed herself to become attached to her target and in effect she had managed to be responsible for twelve of her peoples' deaths.

Absolutely devastating for her kingdom. For some unknown reason the population was decreasing - twelve deaths had been a major blow. She'd gotten into a lot of trouble for that. And now, three years later, she would not let that happen again. She couldn't afford failure now. If she didn't secure a male in three months, her civilization would die out.  
Her species were an odd one, and without a male, they would all die. The only reason she was the one taking this mission was because she was the only one who could take it. There were three of them left.

Three.

In total. No more, no less. She was the only Guardian of Life left. The three of them and all of them were female. One was the Queen, one a simple peasant and then there was her. So, although she hated them, there was a very good reason for all the lies and deceits. She was saving her species. It was necessary. If Edward was convinced she was seeking Esme's company, he would have no reason to suspect her real victim.

She smiled inwardly. Her species would rise again, she knew.

Tess had wasted a precious month studying Edward, getting to know his ins and outs. Tapping into his mind and slowly but surely determining how he would react in certain situations. She was ready to strike now. She was a black wolf in a sheep costume, arriving unexpectedly and seeming to be a gift from God himself - albeit a little violent. That thought made Tess use nearly all of her restraint to keep a grin off her face.

He would never see it coming; in an excited rush he had picked up the knife, her, without realizing the handle was smothered in poison, made to slowly seep into your skin. Tess had a job to do. And as a Guardian of Life it was her duty to do that; Guard the Life of her species in any way she could. If it meant she herself would have to die in order to get them a male, she would do so gladly. As long as her kind lived on. As long as she lived, everything she owned was complete forfeit if necessary.

Not many chose to be a Guardian of Life. They knew what could happen if you chose it; they also knew it was for life. Not just a simple 'oh, I want to do this!' then a week later decide to quit. Guardians were for life. There was no such thing as quitting, you made the choice, you took the oath and now you had to deal with it. As long as you lived.

Tess worked hard to keep her facial expressions under control and to keep her mind blocked up as a torrent of feelings, emotions and thoughts smashed their way though her brain. She sat on a log, watching embers from the fire gyrate slowly in the air before winking out of existence, with more replacing them as the died.

Edward sat on a log opposite her, scrutinizing her every twitch. He didn't trust her. He definitely didn't trust her weapons and he certainly didn't want to be anywhere near her. But she said he could help him win Bella back and if waiting around with a freak of a girl meant he would win his soulmates heart again, waiting around with a freak of a girl is what he would do.

"What are you thinking?" He asked. He was unused to the question, having only ever said it when he was human and before he had left Bella. Tess jerked, looking up at him.  
"Excuse me, sorry. I didn't catch that."

"I asked what you were thinking." Edward said curtly. Tess grinned maliciously.

"Oh, this and that."

Edward gulped.


	2. Chapter 2

Bella sighed, slumping down back on her bed. This was hard work.

It had taken all her control not to strike Esme down then and there when she had said that earlier in the day. Instead she glared daggers at her, daring Esme to challenge her. Esme had stood tall, eyes filed with defiance.

"You disgust me. Jay wishes to stay here so I will not challenge him, I will remain here and god forbid you you ever talk to me again, peasant." She had spat out the last word and turned away. While speaking she had changed her appearance to Bridget. She wouldn't stand for this. She wouldn't be Bella. She wasn't some stupid human girl who did whatever anyone said anymore, she was Bridget Harp. Strong. Confident. Independent. Nothing could stop her.

She would never admit it, but Esme was right. In the innermost section of her heart lay the turmoils, doubts, fears and realizations she didn't like. Over the years, they seemed to accumulate, demanding more space in her heart. She didn't want to be hurt again, so she pushed people away. She didn't want to be Bella, the girl who could trust everyone.

Since then, she hadn't changed back to Bella.

Again, she sighed. Out of all her abilities, Mind Control had always been the hardest.

"Tess," A voice penetrated her slumber, abruptly bringing her crashing back down to Earth.

"Tess, wake up!" She sighed, felt for her knife and held it out in front of her.

"Shut up, Edward." It seemed to work. Groaning, she sat up, blinking blurry eyes. She sighed again and began her preparations for the day.

Once they were on the road again, she almost wished she was back at the dreary little camp they had had. Almost. Edward never seemed to stop asking questions. He just rambled on and on and on and on and on! In truth, Edward was mainly silent, only asking the occasional question here and there. It was one of such occasion that Edward realized he'd been right when he though he should learn all the languages in the world.

"Why are you helping me?" Tess stopped walking and stared at him for a moment.

"Mám svoje dôvody. Žiadny z ktorých spoznáte." She said quietly. Edward was taken aback at her sudden show of bilingualism.

"I'm sorry, what? In English preferably." Tess grinned. She had known that Slovak was one off the few languages Edward had yet to learn. After all, it's not like she was going to waste a month of observing Edward without learning something.  
Edward waited for a reply but Tess offered none.

"Usted está tan molesto" He muttered darkly in Spanish under his breath. Tess had by now turned away, meaning Edward couldn't see her smile broaden.

"I may be annoying, young one, but at least I don't sparkle." Edward scoffed. Young one, she had called him young one?

"Watch who your calling young, I am over one hundred years old!" Tess laughed bitterly.

"Oh, woah. One hundred years, do you feel proud? Would you like me to give you a badge? Or maybe you would prefer some diapers and a pacifier." Edward glared at her back. Tess seemed to sense this and giggled lightly.

Edward decided he trusted her just about as far as he could throw her. He laughed inwardly at his use of words, he could probably throw her very far.

No you couldn't. He was surprised when the voice floated into his head. He searched for it again but to no avail. It was like a breeze flitting past. Tess laughed from ahead of him and Edward mentally head slapped himself. This voice had obviously been Tess - she must have dropped her guard.

Maybe you could try thinking quieter? Or do you want the whole world to know about vampires, special abilities and ectera? Edward had to restrain himself. He really didn't like her.

"Well I'm not forcing you to come with me. Of course, if you want Bella back you will. But if you really dislike me that much you can leave." Edward sighed. She'd said this more than enough times. For her own amusement, he concluded. She was tormenting him just to see how he would react.

At this thought, Tess smiled smugly. Oh, she didn't need question to see how he would react. He made it sound like she was just testing the waters but she knew better. One month of poking and prodding into someone's mind can give you quite an idea about what makes them tick.

"Are you going to stand there wasting time or will you get a move on? We have places to be, you know. And I don't care if it would be faster if you ran with me on your back. Deal with it." She snapped, saying the last bit as an answer to one of his thoughts.****

Mám svoje dôvody. Žiadny z ktorých spoznáte = I have my reasons. None of which you shall know.

Usted está tan molesto = You are so annoying. 


End file.
